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User blog:DatNuttyKid/HALLOWEEN FANFIC CONTEST ENTRY: The Ninth Year
This popped into my head literally seconds after I posted I had to come up with something, so I'm kind of proud of myself :P Let's see how well it goes. The Ninth Year For the first five years of her life, Halloween was Maya Hart's favorite holiday. Every year, on October 1st, she would wake up early, run down the hallway of her apartment to where her parents' slept, leap onto the bed and jump up and down until they finally woke up. Every year she would insist that they have to go to the stores to get her costume immediately before they sell out of whatever she had gotten her heart set on that year, and every year her dad lovingly reminded her that the stores wouldn't open for another two hours as he stroked her hair and her face the way he always did. Every year, it was the exact same thing. That is, until the sixth year. That's when the sounds of her parents yelling and doors slamming had replaced the sounds of a cheerful little girl babbling. Every day, it was the exact same thing. That is, until the seventh year. On November 1st, 2007, the yelling stopped. The slamming stopped. Because on October 1st, 2007, Kermit Clutterbucket, Misty Dingess, and their two year-old daughter moved to Tallahassee. And October 31st, 2007 was the last day Maya saw her father. The last time they went from door to door, Maya holding out a small pumpkin that her mother had splurged on three years prior and squeaking "Trick or treat!" to the kind man or woman or child who stood in the doorway. The last time he carried her home when she got sleepy thirty minutes into the trick or treating. The last time she ever swore to him that next year she would stay awake the whole time. But worse than the seventh year being the last, it meant that the eighth year was the first. The first year without a father to stroke her hair and her cheek. The first year without a father to hold her hand as they walked past the spookier decorations on the houses. The first year without a pumpkin, without a costume, and worst of all- without a smile on Maya Hart's face. For the first time in her life, Halloween was Maya Hart's least-favorite holiday. And the ninth year wasn't looking to be much better. That is, until her new best friend Riley Matthews got involved. "Hey Maya," the brunette greeted as she ran down school hallway to her blonde best friend as the class emptied out from school that day. "Are you staying to help me and Farkle decorate tonight?" "Decorate?" As per the usual, Maya had no idea what Riley was talking about. Of course, that's what happens when you never look at the school bulletin board with all the news. "For the Halloween party! We need all the help we can get." Riley looked around, her wide, brown eyes glancing nervously around the hallway to make sure no one listened. She leaned close and whispered: "That, and I don't want to be in a room alone with Farkle." She shuddered adorably. Maya couldn't help but smile. "Sorry, I'm not interested," Maya replied and turned to head back to the door where kids were talking while waiting for their parents to show up. She didn't know why, considering she usually waited for Riley's parents to pick her up. But maybe she would walk this time. She needed fresh air. "Pleeeeeeease?" Riley begged in her squeaky voice. Maya froze in her tracks. She could feel Riley's puppy-dog eyes staring at the back of her head, but willed herself not to turn around. "Sorry, Halloween just isn't my thing." Maya shrugged as she started walking again. "What? Why not?" Riley asked, surprised that anyone could dislike Halloween. Maya sighed and turned to her. "It's just... things. That have happened. To me. On Halloween. And I don't like it." Riley thought about this response for a few moments. "The skeletons that jump at you aren't really real. If you look at them, they have wires and false joints on them. It's fun, not scary." "That's not it, Riles." "Oh. In that case that's not true. That's just what daddies and mommies say to keep you calm. My Uncle Josh told me, and he's eleven, so he would know." Maya grinned at her ditzy best friend. "Ladies," came a voice behind Maya, who jumped. She immediately recognized the voice as Farkle, Riley's nerdy acquaintance from first grade, who was in love with both girls. As usual, he was wearing a turtleneck- this one black with orange accents, presumably for Halloween. "Farkle," came the simultaneous response from the girls. "Did you ask her, Riley?" Farkle asked the brunette. Riley shook her head. "She said she doesn't like Halloween," Riley replied. Farkle looked as shocked as Riley did. "Why not?" he asked the blonde. "I don't wanna talk about it, okay?" Maya mumbled, crossing her arms. "Can you at least help us decorate?" Riley begged. "It won't be the same without you..." Farkle agreed. Seeing Maya's expression remained stony, Riley returned to her puppy-dog eyes. As they started to effect her, Maya whirled around, only to see Farkle making the same expression. "Okay, okay, fine," she relented with a sigh. Farkle and Riley cheered. ---- Maya stared at the box of hanging pumpkins, bats, false ghosts with an unimpressed expression. "And why are we hanging this up in the gym?" "Because it's a Halloween party!" Riley said, herself coated in orange and black streamers and ribbons. "And what's Halloween without some ghosts and bats?" Farkle chimed in as he hung a skeleton on the nail that had previously been hammered in by Ms. Marietta, the adult supervisor of the decorating committee. "My life," came Maya's mumbled response. "What?" Riley asked, not hearing her. "Nothing," Maya responded. "Have you all picked out your costumes yet?" Ms. Marietta asked the children. "Duh," Farkle responded cheerily. "Evil scientist." "You dress as an evil scientist every year," Riley pointed out. Farkle simply nodded with a wide grin. "What about you, Riley?" the woman asked. "I'm trying to decide between Majestic-Fairy-Unicorn-Princess and Adorable-Candy-Unicorn-Girl," Riley replied. It was obvious that this was an important struggle to her. Ms. Marietta just laughed. "And you, Maya?" "I'm not dressing up," Maya replied, eyeing the ghost she held by its string with a wrinkled nose. "Maya, you know it's a costume party, right?" Ms. Marietta asked. Maya shrugged. "I'm not coming to the party. I'm just helping with decorations." Ms. Marietta considered this answer. "I see." "Don't you wanna know why, Ms. Marietta?" Riley asked, having hoped that her advisor could get the answer she herself desired. "Well, Riley, it's obvious that this is something very personal to Maya," Ms. Marietta responded. "I think it's better if we just let her come to us when she's ready to share." "Oh." Riley didn't like this answer, but she didn't want to argue with an adult, either. She turned back to her friends. "Do you guys want to stop by my house when we're done? Mommy needs taste-testers for the Halloween party snacks." "Absolutely!" Farkle immediately answered. "I love your mom's cookies!" Even Maya couldn't resist the call of Topanga Matthews' delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies. "I guess so." ---- "We're hoooooome," Riley called as she and her friends stepped into the Matthews' apartment. Topanga was already busy in the kitchen. "Welcome home, honey," Topanga smiled, looking up from the mixing bowl momentarily. "Hello Maya, Farkle." "Hi Mrs. Matthews," Farkle greeted with a kind smile. Maya didn't speak, just waved. "I guess you three are my taste-testers for the day?" Topanga asked, temptingly holding out the cookie dough-covered spoon. Farkle immediately snatched it from her hand. "Yup!" he answered and held it to his mouth. Before licking it, however, he remembered his manners and turned to the girls. "Do you guys want it?" Riley responded by shaking her head. "Go for it," chimed in Maya. Satisfied with the answer, Farkle immediately shoved the spoon into his mouth. "So Maya, have you picked out your costume for Halloween?" Topanga asked as she carefully scooped the dough onto the pan, making sure each glob was equal in size. "Why does everyone keep asking that?" Maya grumbled. "Because it's important," Riley replied as she sneakily snatched a handful of chocolate chips from the bag on the counter. "Everyone needs a Halloween costume," Farkle agreed, garbled by the dough that stuck to the roof of his mouth. "Well, if Maya doesn't want to have one, she doesn't need to have one." Riley groaned, disappointed that the adults in her life were getting her no closer to finding out why Maya didn't like Halloween. "Although I would like to know why, if that's okay," Topanga added. Riley mentally cheered, but Maya responded with a shrug and "I dunno," which killed Riley's spirit. Topanga, on the other hand, picked up on something. "Riley, Farkle, could you two listen for the egg timer and tell me when it goes off?" "Sure mommy," Riley affirmed. "Absolutely, Mrs. Matthews," added Farkle. Topanga nodded and turned back to the blonde. "Maya, will you come through here with me?" Maya was confused, but didn't want to say no. She nodded and followed her friend's mom through the house into Riley's bedroom, where Topanga sat in the bay window. "Go ahead, have a seat," Topanga offered, and Maya reluctantly did so. "So what's wrong?" Maya didn't expect that. "What do you mean, Mrs. Matthews?" "It's obvious that there's something bothering you about Halloween, and I think you need to talk about it. So, talk." Topanga sat expectantly. "I-I'm fine," Maya insisted. Topanga raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?" "...N-no." And so it started. And once it started, it didn't finish until Topanga knew the whole story. The bed-jumping, the costume-hunting, the money set aside, the arguing, the door-slamming, everything. After she finished, Maya sat still and quiet, unsure what to do next. But the moment as Topanga wrapped her arms around the girl, Maya's eyes filled with tears and she didn't stop crying for a good few minutes before finally she couldn't cry anymore. Topanga looked at her, but didn't move her arms. "Are you okay?" she asked with a gentle smile. "Yes..." Maya affirmed. She paused for a second. "Thank you." "For what?" Topanga was surprised by this comment. "For listening." Topanga smiled gently. "Anytime." ---- ugh i'm terrible at endings. It was supposed to be Riley who helped but... I think it fits Topanga better. Riley's still too young, she's only 9 :P Category:Blog posts Category:Blog posts